Plant growth Enhancement in Colchicine-Treated Tomato Seeds without Polyploidy Induction.

Plant breeding plays a pivotal role in the development of improved tomato cultivars, addressing various challenges faced by this crop worldwide. Tomato crop yield is affected by biotic and abiotic stress, including diverse pathogens and pests, extreme temperatures, drought, and soil salinity, thus affecting fruit quality, and overall crop productivity. Through strategic plant breeding approaches, it is possible to increase the genetic diversity of tomato cultivars, leading to the development of varieties with increased resistance to prevalent diseases and pests, improved tolerance to environmental stress, and enhanced adaptability to changing agroclimatic conditions.

Metagenomic Analysis of Rhizospheric Bacterial Community of Citrus Trees Expressing Phloem-Directed Antimicrobials.

Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening, is currently the most devastating citrus disease with limited success in prevention and mitigation. A promising strategy for Huanglongbing control is the use of antimicrobials fused to a carrier protein (phloem protein of 16 kDa or PP16) that targets vascular tissues. This study investigated the effects of genetically modified citrus trees expressing Citrus sinensis PP16 (CsPP16) fused to human lysozyme and β-defensin-2 on the soil microbiome diversity using 16S amplicon analysis.

Bacillus Strains as Effective Biocontrol Agents Against Phytopathogenic Bacteria and Promoters of Plant Growth.

Modern crop production relies on the application of chemical pesticides and fertilizers causing environmental and economic challenges. In response, less environmentally impactful alternatives have emerged such as the use of beneficial microorganisms. These microorganisms, particularly plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), have demonstrated their ability to enhance plant growth, protect against various stresses, and reduce the need for chemical inputs.

Evolutionary and Structural Analysis of PP16 in Viridiplantae.

Members of the phloem protein 16 (PP16) gene family are induced by elicitors in rice and the corresponding proteins from cucurbits, which display RNA binding and intercellular transport activities, are accumulated in phloem sap. These proteins facilitate the movement of protein complexes through the phloem translocation flow and may be involved in the response to water deficit, among other functions. However, there is scant information regarding their function in other plants, including the identification of paralog genes in non-vascular plants and chlorophytes.

The Characterization of Microbiota and Antibiotic Treatment Effect on Insects.

Insects are under constant selective pressure, which has resulted in adaptations to novel niches such as crops. This is the case of the pest , the sugarcane aphid, native to Africa and currently spreading worldwide. The aphid undergoes successful parthenogenesis, causing important damage to a variety of crops and leading to important economic losses for farmers.

Synergistic effect of antagonists to KRas4B/PDE6 molecular complex in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis among all human cancers as it is highly resistant to chemotherapy. K-Ras mutations usually trigger the development and progression of PDAC. We hypothesized that compounds stabilizing the KRas4B/PDE6δ complex could serve as PDAC treatments.

Ouabain Induces Transcript Changes and Activation of RhoA/ROCK Signaling in Cultured Epithelial Cells (MDCK).

Ouabain, an organic compound with the ability to strengthen the contraction of the heart muscle, was originally derived from plants. It has been observed that certain mammalian species, including humans, naturally produce ouabain, leading to its classification as a new type of hormone. When ouabain binds to Na/K-ATPase, it elicits various physiological effects, although these effects are not well characterized.

Long-Distance Movement of Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein () mRNA.

Long-distance signaling molecules in plants, including different RNA species, play a crucial role in the development and environmental responses. Among these mobile signals, the Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) mRNA is one of the most abundant. TCTP regulates cell-cycle progression and programmed cell death and is involved in responses to abiotic and biotic stress as well as plant regeneration, among other functions.

Starting from scratch: Step-by-step development of diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-LAMP.

The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people worldwide. Public health strategies to reduce viral transmission are based on widespread diagnostic testing to detect and isolate contagious patients. Several reverse transcription (RT)-PCR tests, along with other SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic assays, are available to attempt to cover the global demand.

Expression, purification, and refolding of the recombinant extracellular domain β-subunit of the dog Na/K-ATPase of the epithelial cells.

The β-subunit of the Na/K-ATPase is a cell membrane protein, beyond its classic functions, it is also a cell adhesion molecule. β-subunits on the lateral membrane of dog kidney epithelial cells trans-interact with β-subunits from another neighboring cells. The β-β interaction is essential for the formation and stabilization of intercellular junctions.

Combined Subcutaneous-Intranasal Immunization With Epitope-Based Antigens Elicits Binding and Neutralizing Antibody Responses in Serum and Mucosae Against PRRSV-2 and SARS-CoV-2.

New vaccine design approaches, platforms, and immunization strategies might foster antiviral mucosal effector and memory responses to reduce asymptomatic infection and transmission in vaccinated individuals. Here, we investigated a combined parenteral and mucosal immunization scheme to induce local and serum antibody responses, employing the epitope-based antigens 3BT and NG19m. These antigens target the important emerging and re-emerging viruses PRRSV-2 and SARS-CoV-2, respectively.

The NAC Transcription Factor Induces Aerial Rosette Development and Leaf Senescence in Arabidopsis.

CmNACP1 mRNA has been shown to move long distance through the phloem in (pumpkin) and through a graft junction. Whereas the phloem transport of several different mRNAs has been documented in other systems as well, its function remains, for most of these RNAs, largely unknown. To gain insight into the possible role of these RNAs, we searched for the closest homologs of in Arabidopsis, a model plant much more amenable for analysis.

Transcriptomic Analysis of the Host Response to Mild and Severe CTV Strains in Naturally Infected Orchards.

(CTV) is an important threat to the global citrus industry, causing severe economic losses worldwide. The disease management strategies are focused on vector control, tree culling, and the use of resistant varieties and rootstocks. Sweet orange () trees showing either severe or mild CTV symptoms have been observed in orchards in Veracruz, Mexico, and were probably caused by different virus strains.

Engineering Macromolecular Trafficking Into the Citrus Vasculature.

The plant vasculature is a central organ for long-distance transport of nutrients and signaling molecules that coordinate vegetative and reproductive processes, and adaptation response mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stress. In angiosperms, the sieve elements are devoid of nuclei, thus depending on the companion cells for the synthesis of RNA and proteins, which constitute some of the systemic signals that coordinate these processes. Massive analysis approaches have identified proteins and RNAs that could function as long-range signals in the phloem translocation stream.

Development of a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay for the detection of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in tomato and pepper seeds.

In the present study, a droplet digital PCR assay was developed for detection of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, a new Tobamovirus of tomato and other solanaceous plants, which expands the diagnostic strategies for this pathogen. Candidate reference DNA material was also obtained to be employed as positive control in tomato and pepper samples. Recombinant plasmids encode for ToBRFV coat protein (CP-ToBRFV) gene and Solanum lycopersicum GAPDH fragments, and CP-ToBRFV and Capsicum annuum GAPDH.

Citrus Genetic Transformation: An Overview of the Current Strategies and Insights on the New Emerging Technologies.

Citrus are among the most prevailing fruit crops produced worldwide. The implementation of effective and reliable breeding programs is essential for coping with the increasing demands of satisfactory yield and quality of the fruit as well as to deal with the negative impact of fast-spreading diseases. Conventional methods are time-consuming and of difficult application because of inherent factors of citrus biology, such as their prolonged juvenile period and a complex reproductive stage, sometimes presenting infertility, self-incompatibility, parthenocarpy, or polyembryony.

Recombinant Antigens Based on Non-Glycosylated Regions from RBD SARS-CoV-2 as Potential Vaccine Candidates against COVID-19.

The Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) protein from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has glycosylation sites which can limit the production of reliable antigens expressed in prokaryotic platforms, due to glycan-mediated evasion of the host immune response. However, protein regions without glycosylated residues capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies could be useful for antigen production in systems that do not carry the glycosylation machinery. To test this hypothesis, the potential antigens NG06 and NG19, located within the non-glycosylated S-RBD region, were selected and expressed in , purified by FPLC and employed to determine their immunogenic potential through detection of antibodies in serum from immunized rabbits, mice, and COVID-19 patients.

Adsorption of Recombinant Human β-Defensin 2 and Two Mutants on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles and Its Effect against subsp. .

L. is affected among other pests and diseases, by the actinomycete subsp. (), causing important economic losses worldwide.

An Ancestry Perspective of the Evolution of PBS1 Proteins in Plants.

The AVRPPHB SUSCEPTIBLE1 (PBS1) and RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE 5 (RPS5) proteins are involved in signal transduction to evoke innate plant immune response. In Arabidopsis, PBS1 is cleaved by the AvrPphB ( Avirulence protein B) protease, activating RPS5 and turning in a hypersensitive response (HR). We searched for PBS1 orthologs to trace their origin and evolution.

Plant drought tolerance provided through genome editing of the trehalase gene.

Drought is one of the main abiotic factors that affect agricultural productivity, jeopardizing food security. Modern biotechnology is a useful tool for the generation of stress-tolerant crops, but its release and field-testing involves complex regulatory frameworks. However, gene editing technology mediated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system is a suitable strategy for plant breeding, which can lead to precise and specific modifications in the plant genome.

Identification of mutations in the S gene of hepatitis B virus in HIV positive Mexican patients with occult hepatitis B virus infection.

Introduction And Aim: Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is characterized by the presence of replication-competent hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the liver and/or serum of patients with undetectable levels of the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Due to the shared infection routes HIV positive patients are at higher risk of developing OBI, thus, the aim of this study was to determine the frequency of OBI in Mexican HIV-infected patients and to identify mutations in the HBV S gene that could be associated to the development of OBI.

Materials And Methods: Plasma samples from 50 HIV-infected patients with undetectable levels of the HBsAg were obtained and analyzed.

Host-specific loss of sequences of an alfalfa mosaic virus isolate during systemic infection.

Infectivity of an alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) isolate from Leonotis nepetaefolia in different tomato cultivars was analyzed. Symptoms typical of AMV infection were observed in indicator plants, but not in Flora Dade and Rio Grande tomato cultivars; however, mild symptoms were observed in cv. Rutgers.